buck_nekkid

I’m not. These are great drills, and the immediate release on the double tap shows they have control. Starting on the knees as they do also controls the contest. On mats. Very happy to see them doing these types of drills, so important for tackling, responding to tackling, core strength, skills, body awareness, etc etc.

What do you ‘trade’? Player for player? Draft picks? Mid year draft picks? sounds like more Nero- fiddle while Rome burns. would be interesting if players ‘nominated’ rather than became eligible- would show mercenaries and could disrupt team cultures.

The club report indicated most on the test list would make their way back via the VFL. One or two only with a direct path to the firsts...

Actions (decisions) have information, but have no history. What this means is that regardless of the historical story, who finished where, when etc, the history has no bearing on the next decision or event. What matters is that compared to other teams, we need to have the players, the game plan, the luck with injuries and the attitude and culture to win enough games to make the finals next year. Nothing that happened to other teams before that impacts that outcome. To play the game, however: the fact that other teams have dropped for one year could suggest that it is possible for us. That other teams have dropped for longer might talk more to their trajectory, than as a reasonable comparison. Regardless, I’m glass half full - even what I saw in the game in the Alice was loaded with promise. Go Dees in 2020.

Nope for mine. We want as many games with him commanding the back half, building the killer combo with Lever and the other defenders. When the heat is on, every moment together playing and working together will pay off. Swing him forward for 10 mins here and there to switch things up, but not as a full time positional shift. Our forward line problems will not be solved by throwing May forward. We are seeing that we have options (Frittata, and even Petty) and can even think about Smith, Smith and even Kielty if they shape up. Agree we need to bolster our stocks - maybe Preuss will learn to mark and build a tank over the summer ans surprise as that elusive forward pocket option????

We were never getting Darwin zoning, and I doubt GC will get it either. It is just too rich, and too established in its own right. If we got the Central Australia zone, played appropriate opposition there, and get replacement games, then I’m OK with the NT thing. We get cash, guaranteed TV coverage and a trip away for the team (which they seem to relish), regardless of our poopy ladder position. Hopefully we are in a better negotiating position next time around and can extract some further value for the club from the arrangement.

GWS maybe?

It is a real concern that we are seeing so little from the ones we need to see the most from. I know Bedford and Chandler were later picks, but each week they manage about 20 dream team points each. It was reported that JKH shirks contests. Kielty is down on confidence and Tim Smith did his thing without dominating. We have Sparrow and Jordon, one injured and one putting together a few good games. What to do with Maynard? Oskar Baker is definitely a keeper, and you would think Spargo, who had good tackle numbers, is also still on the edge of the AFL. Bradtke and Oscar Mac didn’t even play. Perhaps a hot knife will be going through much of this list at the end of the year. We certainly need healthy players pushing for selection, and at the moment - in fact throughout the whole season - this really has not been the case.

In the Age today, a two page spread on Steven May: Melbourne defender's journey has at times been difficult since his move from the Gold Coast. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/melbourne-demons/steven-may-s-long-road-back-20190719-p528rx.html?btis worth a read, and gives some perspective to his journey. I really like that Goody challenged him, then stepped up and trained with him. That is some serious leadership from the coach that you dont see from outside. To winning the flag at the Dees, Steven!

Wow. Terrible free to decide the match

Brilliant goal Tex Walker, as much as it chokes me to say it!

Bruce is a flo.g. Apparently Essendon have the biggest injury list of most important players in the league. Savaloy on the soft palette, I reckon.

If we run out like this I will spew.

Here is a different take on this. Yes, we have had a terrible year. Yes, on our path, we haven’t beaten too many top teams. #1 On our way up, we had an easier draw and less games against top sides. This year, we are worse and play more of them. Natural progression would have seen us play more top sides, and beat them. This did not happen. #2 Lots of reasons we dropped the bundle this year. It is a complete write off. If we can look to next year, then it is what we make of this car crash that matters. A few things like: Getting a back 6 that plays cohesively together. With May and Lever AA quality, surrounded by a group working and understanding each other (not all flying for the same mark, etc.) Getting a midfield that has some experience, and can shift from ‘panic’ mode with the ball to actually using it productively. Building confidence in each other and doing more than just winning the contest, but winning the quality clearance. Having a forward line that works. TMac back in form (he had been moving like gollum this year) and more development into Weid. A small forward and some clean half forwards. Gaining confidence in each other and improving basic skills. Most of the team are kids, and we have played something like 38 players this year. Getting development into Preuss so he can be the second ruck, He is definitely a work in progress, and not there yet. The addition of some outside run. We are simply young, damaged, without confidence and struggling to apply a complex system under pressure. If they use what is left of this year and the pre-season, it will not be wasted. Then we can best a few more of those top teams (and hopefully get the easier draw and a nice draft pick as additional bonuses.)

Agreed. I thought we were going to be stitched up with the inconsistency in the holding the ball decisions in the first quarter, but there were poor decisions across the park. The Gawn/Dunkley one was incomprehensible, so it drew attention. But Kyle Dunkley’s mark (paid by the umpire further away) would have had us all howling if it was paid to the opposition. The Umpiring did not cost us this game. We did

Did you notice the handball that Gus received from Clarry before he got run down in the tackle? It was a looping, slow handball that Gus had to check his pace to receive, opening the way to be caught by Dunkley. If Clarry had put a bullet handball and Gus could run onto it, there would have been no tackle, and probably a goal. It is a million moments like these that are costing us in every game. Like the bomb kicks into forward 50, like the way we get sucked en masse into contests and the opposition run around the outside, those over-the-head-to-no one handballs, the giraffe kicks not to advantage.....We are putting in loads of effort, but it must be so disheartening when stupid errors make it meaningless.

So I saw a series of outstanding performances, well orchestrated and full of highlights. Oh, I couldn’t make it to the footy, I was at a concert... When it ended I had that moment recognising we lost, but not being surprised. Can’t comment too much on the game apart from what I saw of the first half on my phone. We seem to be losing to a lot of mediocre teams this year, which really says a lot about where we are at.

Ok then......

Why can’t it be?

I hear he watched the World Cup semi final, too...

Please make it ANB.

The blues player soccered the ball away after the goal umpire started his signalling, stopping us playing on at our choice.

Apologies, I thought the sarcasm would be obvious....

Interesting that the ‘Misson effect’ is spreading. Ex-Demons Watts, Hogan and Dom Tyson all out for stints at their respective clubs. Tyson now TBC with a calf.

We can’t do much with TMAC this year, but he should be available and fully fit next year, and still be our #1 forward option. Weid *should* continue developing, so I think on balance we should not throw the kitchen sink at tall KPFs. We need to add really smart (footy smart) small forward, develop a replacement for Nev as he gets on, and also add silk to the mid field (maybe Dunkley will evolve into this?). We should be set up with our intercept and KPD’s, and potentially add a low cost 3rd KPF (Kielty and Bull Smith are it at the moment). DOn’t forget that Bradtke is a longer term development option here too. A big puppy ATM, but looks good when he has the ball, and shows plenty of go. So I’m as big NO to spending big bucks or draft picks on KPFs. If one drops in our laps, then great. Our problems are different, and I think picking up some quality at the draft could be very useful this year.